The Assignment
by Mosshh
Summary: "You know I'm not good with words Santana, and I know I said I loved you before, but I didn't mean it then, not like I mean it now. Once I say this I can't take it back so listen carefully and do what your heart tells you to do."
1. Chapter 1

**A Monologue of Mr Schue: That's it, that's who I am**

**That title above is what I originally wanted to call the story but it was too long. Anyway, this is just a two part ficlet that I've wanted to write for a while now. I don't own glee or the characters although I wish I did. ****It takes a bit to get into but I promise it's worth it. Although Mr schue is talking at first, the majority of the ficlet (mainly part 2) will revolve around Brittany and Santana.  
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**There's some personal feelings in here as well and for anyone who is reading my other fanfiction _That Feeling _bare with me, an update will be along soon!**

**Alerts, reviews etc are like gold to me and I'd love for you to leave them please, but for now happy reading!**

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><p><strong>Part one:<br>**

Everyone in Glee Club had pasts that they wanted to forget, and memories that they wished would forever be erased. A lot of the time, especially in Puck and Santana's case, alcohol, sex and drugs were the only things that could numb the pain and smooth over the scars that would forever be etched into their souls. High School is a time for finding who you are, and that's a lot of what Glee Club was about. It's easy now, to look back and say High School is a time to find yourself, a time to be who you are and not let anyone get in your way. But when you are there, when you are living your life second by second in a narrow minded town, self hate clouds your thoughts, other people's opinions creep into your head and slowly, a silent storm sweeps through your life, intent on destroying every inch of the individuality you are striving to create, until you are reduced to a clone of everyone around you resembling the typical teenager of which society depicts the 'norm' to be. And all of this just to feel like you belong, to feel like you fit in, like you have a family away from home.

At first, I didn't really know what to expect when I told the Glee Club that, for once, academic skills would be needed for one of their assignments. After they had reacted I guess I should have expected it. There was a lot of groans and mumbles about how unfair it was, and how being in Glee Club wasn't meant to be like school, but in all honesty they didn't know the full extent of the assignment yet, I was still to drop that bomb shell later.

A week on from nationals and we are still celebrating, still basking in the exuberance caused from winning the competition. We worked so hard and so long for three solid years just to get where we are today. In a couple of months some of the kids will be off to College or even University, whilst those who are still legally bound to school will have to wait out another year before they can break free of the shackles that have been holding them back for so long. The assignment I keep referring to is to the one I set roughly three months before nationals. I don't know where the first lot of inspiration protruded from to set the assignment, maybe it stemmed from Sue's continuous hatred of the Glee Club over such a long period of time or maybe it was from the hate that the Glee kids got from the rest of the school. Even now I still can't quite put my finger on what it was; maybe it was just a mixture of everything; past experiences thrown together with a dash of hatred, finished off with a little hate from the all loving Sue Sylvester, we'll never know, but I don't actually think how it all started matters anymore.

All I wanted was for the kids to get really in touch with themselves, get in touch with the mini-me inside of them. As much as everyone said they were only truly they when they were at rehearsals I still noticed several people holding back. Rachel for example, yes her attitude towards learning and singing was heightened in comparison to the other kids, but she still held back on her true potential. Well, who wouldn't? Permanently being kicked around like a dogs chew toy, and told that you were annoying 24/7 would get on your nerves and you'd begin to feel different and left out. That's when I noticed Rachel wasn't going up for as many solos anymore. Mercedes had quit Glee Club and come back yet she still held back as much as she did before she left, and that's when it hit me. The kids just needed to experience being truly themselves for once, and once they'd felt how amazing it was, they'd never want to go back to pretending to be who they're not.

It took some time to figure out how it would be possible, as every time I tried to coax the kids out of their shell they would hide behind lyrics. The thing was the lyrics were great and you could see where they were coming from, the only problem was, was that the lyrics weren't their own. They weren't their _own _feelings. They were using someone else's experiences, words and emotions to portray something personal, and on a personal level as hard as you try to use someone else's words to explain how you feel, you just know it still doesn't quite live up to what you are actually trying to say. And that's when I realised: lyrics were the problem.

We'd tried original songs before and I think that really helped when I finally set the assignment but when you write a song, you need a beat, a rhythm and everything else that goes into a complete song. You can sing the lyrics, but if they aren't sung to the right key or to the right beat, then you still can't truly express the emotion behind the words. I spoke to Emma about it and she told me about a time that she had a girl in her office that was so angry all of the time, but didn't know how to let it out without being violent. She told me that she'd told the girl to write out how she feels on a piece of paper, even if it was just odd words of frustration that she didn't mean or even if she wrote an entire essay. Emma continued to help the girl over a period of weeks and every so often she'd check on what the girl wrote. The girl had decided to keep an emotion diary and from that she'd managed to track down when she was angry the most, thus allowing her to control it when she felt it welling inside of her. And that is the point when I thought, bingo Schuester, you've got yourself an assignment.

It wasn't until after reading the assignments that I realised how much of an impact everything has on the kids lives. Peer pressure, image, school, family, homework, exams, you name it; everything plays even the tiniest of roles in planning out just one kids life. One of the kid's assignments touched me on such a personal level that they are the reason why I'm writing this today. I want to be able to look back and read this in years to come and think _yes, that's what I accomplished in life, that's what made me an accomplished teacher. _Rachel once said that Nationals was everything to her and without it she would die a horrible and painful death due to the lack of motivation she would have encompassed. If someone had told me I'd be feel exactly the same as Rachel did this time a year ago I probably would have laughed in their face but after the journey I've been on with this group of kids, I would have embraced that feeling as I wouldn't have changed it for the world.

Thinking back to a week ago, and how happy everyone was to raise the trophy in the air, on the stage, in front of thousands of people, _together_, I came to realise that at that moment in time, nothing else mattered. What mattered was that we'd got there together, whether we'd have won or lost. We embarked on a journey that for the rest of our lives we will look back on as our most valued achievement without feeling shame for being in the Glee Club or for coaching it to its victory. And this is where the assignment fits in, without that one assignment; we never would have had any of this, we never would have thought about what it meant to win or lose, we wouldn't have stood on the stage feeling accomplished and individual, instead we would have stood on the stage in front of thousands of people that didn't matter and wouldn't matter in years to come. We would have stood there as a group, as a community but still would have felt left out and only inclusive because everyone was similar ages and everyone appeared to like the same music.

Glee Club became part of all of our lives and without it I honestly don't believe that the kids would be where they are now, or where they are heading towards now. That one assignment taught the kids what our individual journeys of high school is meant to: the meaning of yourself, who you are and who you aspire to be and I feel sorry for all the kids who laughed at us, at the Glee Club, because they are the ones who are never going to know what it feels like to be properly free, to actually feel proud of doing something just because it made them feel happy inside.

Individuality is everything in this world yet it is so rare and even harder to come by. I feel privileged to be able to look back on this in years to come and name at least a dozen people who I can definitely say for sure, "Yeah I helped them with that, I helped them look deep enough inside to find who they actually are, and I'm proud of who they have become." And I hope that one day this feeling will be mutual for the kids and that they can sit down and tell their kids about how they were in, what was once a crappy little glee club, but turned out to be a journey of a life time.

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><p><em>The final bell rang. Students poured from various classrooms all over McKinley High, some were off home, some were off to visit friends, but a group of roughly a dozen headed towards the choir room. Last to enter the room was Mr Schue himself, who, as always took the floor. He walked casually over to the white board, picked up the black marker pen and began to scrawl across the board.<em>

_Once he finished his scrawling and turned to face the Glee Club, each member slowly began to crane their necks to read what their Spanish teacher had just written. _

"_Eureka!" Mr Schue exclaimed as he read his own words back to the class._

_Many looked puzzled, others didn't seem to care, but one very intuitive student already had their hand up ready to ask the questions that no one else could be bothered to voice. Rachel Berry._

"_Yes Rachel," Mr Schue said trying to stop him from rolling his eyes._

"_Whilst we all know that it is a well known phrase and that many of us will often find ourselves, hopefully, in the near future finding the eureka moment in our lives, what on earth does it have to do with singing and glee?"_

_There was a murmur of agreements but Mr Schue just smiled, which slightly unnerved Rachel. _

"_I'm so glad you asked Rachel. Right, I have watched you grow after the last two and a half years and in all honesty I have never seen a side of any of you where you have been completely yourselves. High School is about finding yourself and..."_

_But Mr Schue was cut off by Kurt trying to stifle a laugh by shuffling his chair._

"_Would you like to add something Kurt?"_

"_Well, I'm all for finding yourself and what have you but in all honesty what do you expect? We live in a town that is so far up its own a…"_

"_Okay Kurt," Mr Schue raised his voice._

"_Sorry, but all I'm saying is that its society's fault, not our own, I got kicked out of my own school for god sake."_

"_Preach it," Artie shouted._

_The Glee Clubbers laughed but quickly settled down as they saw Mr Schue tapping his foot._

"_Kurt, I completely agree with you."_

_A few breath's were let out that many glee clubbers didn't even know they were holding, but a general calm atmosphere seemed to fall with Mr Schue's words._

"_That is exactly why I am setting this assignment. I have put a lot of thought into it, and it's going to be hard, there is no dead line but I really, really would like you all to consider attempting it."_

_A couple of scattered nods and mumbles were not enough to stifle Rachel Berry._

"_Of course we will attempt it. Now I think I speak on behalf of everyone that we fully understand the assignment and will put our heart and souls into it like always, so may we be excused? I need to consult my Barbara Streisand playlists as I feel she has the perfect song for my eureka moment."_

_The Glee Clubbers all stood up, picked up their belongings from around them and headed for the door, however as they saw Mr Schue laughing they all stopped._

"_What?" Santana asked._

"_You guys to be honest, that's what. I haven't explained the assignment yet and Rachel Streisand won't be needed."_

_Rachel stopped dead in her tracks on the pathway back to her seat._

"_You are joking right," she started as she looked around at her fellow glee clubbers who all just stared obliviously back at her, "Oh I get it, ha-ha, no Streisand, you know you nearly got me there next time you won't be so lucky."_

"_Rachel you cannot use Barbara because we aren't using music."_

_This time it was Mr Schue's turn to be stared upon by oblivious faces._

"_This is Glee Club, we come here to sing?" Santana shouted._

"_Yeah, why did I bother coming back if you are not just going to silence me but silence all of us," Mercedes added._

"_Guys, guys, you don't understand, hear me out okay. Have you ever had that moment where you just stop and think that's it, that's who I am?"_

_The students all shook their heads in unison._

"_Exactly, none of you guys have actually benefitted, other than academically from High School. As I said before, it is a time where you find yourself, but as Kurt pointed out, none of you can because of other people's opinions. Your assignment is to look back in your life and find a moment where you thought that's it, that's who I am and I want you to write about it. It can't be a song, or lyrics, just write exactly how you feel or how you felt at the time. Explain the event, explain your emotions, and explain everything. I'll collect these all in and I'll read through them individually, once I've done that you are free to pick a song that you feel truly reflects what you wrote down."_

_The entire Glee Club was silent. Finn and Puck had slumped down in their seats, Brittany muttered something under her breathe that sounded a little like, "but the ducks stole my pen, and all the while Rachel continued to be her dubious self, sitting so far on the edge of her chair that Mr Schue thought she was going to topple over. _

"_Say something guys, this is a great opportunity. I want you to come out of your shells and smell the fresh air and once you've smelt it, I hope you'll feel good enough to never go back in them again."_

"_Writing. As in pen and paper writing?" Santana asked completely dumbstruck._

_Mr Schue laughed and answered with a simple, "Yes Santana."_

"_Oh hell to the no," Mercedes shouted._

"_Just try it okay, there is no dead line, and to be honest, once you start this I think you will get into it and the end of it maybe you'll thank me, but who knows, we'll wait and see. This will also help you for nationals; it will get you in touch with the emotional sides of yourself that you have never experienced before."_

_After a couple more minutes of silence a slow rumble of conversation broke out and then suddenly Finn said, "We'll do it. We trust you and you've never made us do anything before that wasn't necessary, minus perform in front of the school, but hey, even that did some good, so we'll do it okay."_

_Finn turned to the rest of the club._

"_You all trust Mr Schue right? He's been there for us when no one else has? Exactly, so let's do this for him."_

_A cheer rose from the Glee Club at Finn's words and Mr Schue just smiled. The students filed out in groups of two's or three's yet Santana was still the last to leave. She stopped in the door way and turned to Mr Schue who was turning the lights off._

"_You make us do some stupid stuff but you're alright you know, and as you said this is an opportunity that not many people get, so thank-you."_

_With a nervous smile and a shuffle of her feet, Santana turned and walked away from the choir room. _

_Mr Schue was the only left in the school and still he continued to stand in the darkness mulling over Santana's words. After a couple of seconds he spoke._

"_Thank-you too, I won't let you down, I promise."_

_Nobody heard, but nobody needed to. The trust was there. It was in the air and it lingered almost like a bad odour of which you can never escape despite how much someone tries to get rid of it. It was there. It was stuck. It was for life._

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><p><strong>I hope that wasn't too boring and that you enjoyed it. The next part is already written so it won't be long until I update it.<br>Alerts, reviews, comments etc please ? They mean a lot and they are helpful for not just this fanfiction but the other one I'm writing too.  
>Constructive criticism is always good!<br>Check out my other fanfiction if you like Quinn and Rachel fic's on my profile.  
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**Happy reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I hope you enjoyed part one, here is the second and final part. This chapter is mainly Santana and Brittany, it's definately different to a lot of other fic's but I hope you enjoy it to be honest.  
>Stick with it, it's worth it, I promise.<br>Let me know what you think please, and enjoy! (:**

**(For those who have already read this, I haven't changed anything, I've just corrected some gramatical errors :) )  
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><p><strong>Part two:<br>**

I still remember what Santana said to me, it plays on my mind sometimes, even now, even though we've won, but it never stuck more in my mind than when I began to read her assignment. She took three weeks to hand it in, Rachel's was on my desk the day after I'd set it, and within a month every Glee Club member had completed the task I'd asked of them. I was impressed with them all, there wasn't one where I could say, "Actually I was disappointed," because I wasn't. But I'll still never forget the night I sat down to read Santana's. It must have been about 8pm, I had a beer in one hand and her assignment in the other, but within reading the first paragraph I was on the edge of the couch, the beer was on the table and I was gripped by what I was reading and in all honesty I never expected that from Santana, of which I am now ashamed to admit.

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><p>'<em>That's it, that's who I am.'<br>Santana Lopez_

_There is only one time in my life of which I'd never felt more vulnerable. I was open. My guard was down. I was frightened. Looking back it was pretty stupid because since then everything has slowly pieced itself together like a jigsaw, but at one point in everybody's life, they think, I'm glad I did that, it hurt but I needed that. And from that moment people get stronger, so this is my 'that's it, that's who I am' moment._

_She stared at me, tears pouring down her perfect complexion. And as she did I felt that empty hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach. I could feel the dread building, the apprehension of not knowing what was going to happen next. It reminded me of the feeling when you fall in a dream but you just can't stop yourself until you hit the floor and you wake up and it's as if someone has thrown water on your face. My heart was being wrenched from my chest and it scared me so much because I knew in just under an hour's time I would have to be honest with myself for the first time in my life. And once it was to happen, there was no turning back._

_We sat on her rumpled baby blue blanket that was strewn across the floor. Extra creases were added from the tightening grip of her knuckles on the blanket. I wanted to reach out. I wanted to hold her. I wanted to tell her it was going to be okay. But I also knew that this was my only chance and I couldn't screw it up. I pulled my gaze away from her whitening knuckles and looked back up at her tear stained face. I began to notice her in an entirely new light, as if someone had finally removed the blindfold from my eyes. _

_The first thing that struck me was her eyes. Deep lakes of sapphire that were in perfect contrast to the pale lily white skin that engulfed the taught muscles and bone beneath. The reflected light of the moon shone through the windows and danced playfully upon the surface of her eyes leaving little sparkles of powder blue flecks, complementing but at the same time contrasting wonderfully with the twin lakes of deep blue. As my gaze moved steadily around her face I no longer saw the smudges of a careless artist beneath her eyes, instead I saw the beginnings of a slow yet violent storm, brewing thick rain clouds of running mascara mixing with her already pale skin ultimately leaving an array of tones engulfing the innocence of her angelic complexion. _

_A feeling of admiration grew within me. Not often she wore make-up but I began to appreciate the hate she had for it, as each tear began to fall, heavily, like a crystal being dropped from a great height, the blackened smudges grew longer and thinner. Each falling crystal that landed silently on the crumpled blanket only accentuated the dark make-up surrounding the eyes that wasn't even needed. _

_Why use something so fake to hide the prosperity of someone loving what you are trying to hide?_

_I felt like a hypocrite as I thought it, staring into her deep pools of blue once again, but it was a thought that I just couldn't help. A thought that had burdened me for so long that I just had to let it engulf me as I stared at the perfection that sat before me._

_Eyelashes that were once so thick and perfect hung limply in half hearted spikes each boring a new tear, a new misery a new pain. The pain was clearly etched upon her now morphed complexion. Arrays of textures, tones and colours all formed one cluster upon her face, attempting to disguise her past, her mistakes and the painful memories in which occurred before her world had come crashing down around her. But still I adored her. Still she was perfect. Still I wanted her._

_My eyes traced the paths in which her tears had carried themselves selflessly down her cheeks, only stopping briefly at her chin before preparing themselves to leap into the unknown until they hit the next surface of which they would ricochet in all directions. _

_A deep sigh before she crossed her legs and hung her head closing her eyes causing more unshed tears to fall onto the already blotted blanket. Fluffy flaxen hair shielded her face from view yet I continued to stare. I wanted to look right in her, delve deep inside and help her, help her find what she needed to say but was struggling so much with. Before I could dwell on it too much she titled her head upwards a fraction and I noticed something else. Noticed the absence of something. A smile. Her smile. Something that mesmerised me. It wasn't a toothy grin but just a slight curving of her rose red lips which was only complemented by her deep blue orbs. I'd never voice it aloud but her smile could relight a faltering fire. Her smile burns so bright, brighter even than a roaring log fire, it illuminates the room and makes people happy just by looking at it. _

_The laughter that usually pours from her mouth, not muffled sniffles, reminds me of a child playing pica boo behind their hands for the first time. It's something so unique that is just can't be replaced. At the time she was in pieces on her own bedroom floor, I couldn't even remember when she'd last laughed or smiled like that. She'd smiled but not with her eyes, her lips would twitch and twirl but her eyes would continue to look vacant and solitary._

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><p><em>I continued to stare at my best friend. Minutes passed. Hours could have passed for all I cared. Tears began to make their way down my cheeks and then I realised there was a different emotion within me, merged within the pain and sorrow I felt, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. It felt like butterflies were caged in my chest trying to burst out, burst free from deep within and as they tried to they found their way to my stomach, and then my heart and filled every fibre in my body with an intense warm feeling causing my heart to beat faster and faster with every clumsy breath I took.<em>

_She looked up and held my gaze, I felt her blue orbs pierce my barely adequate chocolate fountains and search for the answers in which she was yearning to find. Her lips moved, forming soft syllables which echoed from each wall like a musical wave just tore its way through the room leaving only its most delicate surf of a musical melody. I felt myself wanting to reach out and touch her snow white skin which was complimented perfectly by her honey golden hair that fell just beneath her shoulders like liquid gold. __This hair had tickled my face each time I had cried; overloading my senses with warmth and happiness until it felt like I was drowning in love. I wish she would love me, to feel her warmth during every waking minute of the day and longing for it during the cold and lonely nights…but what was I saying to myself?_

_This was my friend, the person who trusted me and had supported me on those drunken nights when I had once again been used and abused by a different boy. I'd told her how I felt once before and yet she continued to act as if I hadn't said anything. These thoughts shouldn't have entered my mind. She'd needed me. Her long term boyfriend had gone and ripped her heart out; I wanted to hurt him, to hurt him for what he did to her, to make me pick up the pieces when it just hurt so much. It hurt so much to watch her fall apart, but what was I saying. Selfish. Guilt ran through my body like an electric eel on a rampage and I felt my face warm and blush under the selfish influence of my own confusion. _

_Her head titled once again to the floor and the crimson glow that already haloed my face glowed brighter than ever before. I was falling for her, deeper and deeper with every second that I watched her figure shudder as she struggled to take in much needed air. The vulnerability radiated from her and my guilt grew even more but I couldn't hide anymore, I couldn't hide how I felt. _

_I'd treat her right. I'd hold her in my arms to feel the warmth radiate from her. It's all I wanted. As I continued to watch her cry, I noticed they were becoming fewer and fewer. My heart was exploding with pain but at the same time with fireworks, Catherine wheels, and sparklers and before I'd realised what I'd done, I'd pulled her towards me, resting my head on hers as she cried the remainders of the ocean onto my shoulder. I felt her body tremble with each sob, so I pulled her closer, tighter and it scared me. It scared me because now I had her, I would never be able to let her go._

_The crying still didn't cease, both our tears falling on the others shoulder, yet I felt content. Not content about crying but content in the way that I felt safe, and wanted. I would breathe in her subtle smell of vanilla and feel immune. Immune to everything. I just needed to make her happy again, but I didn't know how to do it without taking advantage, so I just stayed there, and cried with her, cried out all of her pain, all of the pain I felt for her, and all of the pain that had been bottled up for so long._

_Our heads parted and the tears began to dry. I wanted to see her smile. The smile that made me smile. The smile that made me realise something for the first time. The smile that made me realise who I was. The smile that told me I was in love. In love with her. Okay, it's meant to be boy and girl but what does it matter? I didn't fall in love because of her gender, I fell in love with her because she was unique, different, she lit up the room in a way of which no one else could, and only I could notice that and deep down she knew it too, but she was scared, just like me._

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><p><em>I'd slept with boys before, lots of them, too many in fact. These boys were the sleazy, sweaty, only one thing in mind type who didn't want a relationship but just a quick, meaningless fumble in a darkened room away from where the heart of the party was going on. Quick rugged kisses would cover my body. Their hot drunken breath over my neck. They used me. They used me to satisfy their needs, but I'm not a saint, I used them too, I used them to cover up who I was. I'd wake up the next day feeling empty and hollow, but she did too. All the parties she'd go to, returning to school the next day with big blotches of pink and red moulded together to form a bruise. A love bite. But still, underneath all of it. I loved her and as she sat in front of me, I knew it was my only chance.<em>

_I pushed her head up from my shoulder. The tears had stopped, the only thing to notify me that she'd even been crying was the tracks left behind from her tears. Creamy crevices of pain. I bore deep into her ink black pupils and it was then that I noticed the innocent flicker of excitement. The same flicker of excitement that floated in her eyes when she sang or danced to a song someone else was singing. I'd missed it, but it was a sign that things were going to be okay. I just needed to keep up my courage and pursue onwards._

_She moved closer to me. Her body language was different. Once again I could see each tiny line etched into her skin from the tears that she'd shed. I was in love with my best friend and she knew that. I knew she knew that. I could sense it on her. The way her eyes continued to sparkle and dance with excitement. It made my heart pound harder and faster against my chest. The butterflies were somersaulting and trying to escape as she raised her warm willowy finger to my face and traced the lines of which my own tears had fallen. I shivered, I shivered in the same way a tree shakes it's branches in the wind when it's covered in rain. _

_Her face edged closer to mine and gently, slowly, I moved closer to hers until suddenly all I could see were her blue swirling lakes. Her breath tickled my face. My cheeks flushed. Her eyes travelled my face and at that point in time I didn't care about my make-up, about the world, about glee or school or anything else because I was open. Happy. And it felt great to be so vulnerable but so safe at the same time. The feeling of her face so close to mine, our lips just inches apart, made me smile. And it was then that her lips slowly began to curl at the edges, pink streaks slowly moving, painstakingly slowly but however slow it was, and however feeble the smile was. It was there. The fire of our love was burning, and it was burning oh so brightly. _

_The only sound that broke the silence between us was that of our heartbeats. Simultaneously thumping away. Our noses touched. I could feel the emotion building a bridge in the void between us and we slowly but surely became wrapped inside our own cocoon, completely oblivious to the world around us. Our walls were broken. Our guards: down. Who knew that actions really did speak louder than words?_

_I pulled away from her face, only slightly, just enough so that I could see her, so that I could see her fully in the perfection that she was. I scanned her face briefly. She looked alive. I held my breath before talking, it was now or never._

"_Brittany, I told you I loved you before, but I don't think I did. Only now have I realised how beautiful you truly are even at your weakest hour. When I see you in the corridors at school, my heart skips a beat as you take my breath away. I know you are hurting right now, but if I don't say this now I know I never will. I want to be with you. I want to hold you when you are upset. I want to hug you when you're lonely. I want to hold your hand and tell people that you are mine. Seeing you so upset makes me realise how much I really want you. Today has made me realise that you need me just like I need you and just now, in that moment where our faces were so close, our noses brushed, and our lips nearly touched, I felt complete. I felt open. I felt so overwhelmed with love. You and I belong together and I think you know that too. I love you Brittany and I don't want to hide it anymore."_

_Each hushed whisper hung in the void between us. When the sound of my own voice reached my ears, when I realised everything I had said, it felt right. I felt right. I was honest and I'd never felt more alive. Just as I thought the silence would never be broken again, it was. It was a slow hushed voice, slightly trembling saying._

"_You know I'm not good with words Santana, and I know I said I loved you before as well. But I didn't mean it then, not like I mean it now. Once I say this I can't take it back so listen carefully and do what your heart tells you to do. I love you Santana Lopez, and I want you to be mine just as much as you want me to be yours because I am whole heartedly completely in love with you."_

_The words were like music to my ears; they danced in my head and floated around the room as if light headed from the atmosphere that had been created. I smiled and she smiled back, then slowly I edged closer to her for the second time that afternoon, but this time I captured her lips with mine. The kiss wasn't deep or needy. It was small. Innocent. It was enough for now. It was enough to say what we needed to without talking again. We broke apart and a single tear of joy escaped my eye, this time however, it didn't have chance to reach my chin and dive into the unknown, because it was caught, it was wiped away by a gentle warm finger. She pulled me closer and we collapsed into each other's embrace, not wanting to let go. We knew we had to at some point, but in that moment, nothing could have stopped us._

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><p><em>So there you go, who said we need a prince charming? All anyone needs is a time in their lives to get in touch with their feelings, their raw feelings and from that, and only from that can people truly understand what they want and how to move on. Since then everything has been amazing, more than amazing. As you will already know we are out to the school and although our parents were touch and go at first they've realise that it's what we want and that it's not going to change any time soon. I guess I chose this moment mainly because it means a great deal to me, but not only that it was the time I was completely honest with myself, and without honesty, well where are we?<em>

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><p>Until re-reading it just now I'd forgotten how deep Santana's feelings were, and it's amazing to now see her and Brittany together just so happy. A scribbled note was stapled to the top of the assignment when Santana handed it in, it made me laugh and I've still got it here somewhere, but I don't think I'll ever forget what it said, with or without the note itself.<p>

"People think I'm heartless, and now you are the second person to know I'm not, everything in the assignment happened because of you, because you believed in me, in us, in everyone. And who knew English literature/language would come in handy? Thanks Schuester, we have a real shot at Nationals."

Everybody's assignments were of the top quality but Santana's just made me realise why I love my job. The assignment touched me deeper than the others did because it made me realise that I can help people, and I actually, really make a difference. We won nationals, and it was because of this assignment, everybody got in touch with a side of themselves they'd never found, and I have never been more impressed with them in my life. Just last week Emma told me that the girl she was helping no longer feels angry all the time because she writes down how she feels; she lets out her frustration in words and can control it via that and it's exactly what the Glee kids did, they got raw and personal and it really made the difference.

But who knew sitting in a secluded corner of a coffee shop with my laptop attempting to shroud my face, was still not enough to be incognito, especially on a weekend. Half the Glee guys just walked through the door and after scanning the place for a couple of minutes they noticed me, so for now this is over, but I'll never forget how doing something different could make such a difference, not just personally but to all of those around you too. I'll never forget this moment, I'll never forget winning, I'll never forget all of the emotions that spilled from the pages of assignments I read but what I definitely won't forget is how much one person can make a difference to so many other people's lives.

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><p><strong>That is the end, I hope you enjoyed it. Comments? Criticisms? They'd mean a lot, thank-you for the alerts already.<br>The assignment itself was influenced by a piece of coursework a friend of mine wrote, none of it is the same, but the idea inspired me, so thank-you to you!  
>Have a nice evening or afternoon or morning, depending where you are in the world!<br>**

**Thank-you.  
><strong>


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